EP4094718B1 - Orthodontic implement - Google Patents
Orthodontic implement Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP4094718B1 EP4094718B1 EP21764113.3A EP21764113A EP4094718B1 EP 4094718 B1 EP4094718 B1 EP 4094718B1 EP 21764113 A EP21764113 A EP 21764113A EP 4094718 B1 EP4094718 B1 EP 4094718B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- movable element
- movable
- elastic member
- movable part
- orthodontic appliance
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Links
- 230000000903 blocking effect Effects 0.000 claims description 14
- 210000002050 maxilla Anatomy 0.000 claims description 11
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 15
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 11
- 229920001971 elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 4
- 239000000806 elastomer Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 4
- 238000007373 indentation Methods 0.000 description 3
- 229910001285 shape-memory alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000013013 elastic material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000011065 in-situ storage Methods 0.000 description 2
- 210000000214 mouth Anatomy 0.000 description 2
- 206010061274 Malocclusion Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002457 bidirectional effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001815 facial effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 210000004195 gingiva Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 230000001225 therapeutic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 210000001519 tissue Anatomy 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C7/00—Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
- A61C7/12—Brackets; Arch wires; Combinations thereof; Accessories therefor
- A61C7/14—Brackets; Fixing brackets to teeth
- A61C7/141—Brackets with reinforcing structure, e.g. inserts
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C7/00—Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
- A61C7/12—Brackets; Arch wires; Combinations thereof; Accessories therefor
- A61C7/28—Securing arch wire to bracket
- A61C7/287—Sliding locks
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C7/00—Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
- A61C7/12—Brackets; Arch wires; Combinations thereof; Accessories therefor
- A61C7/28—Securing arch wire to bracket
- A61C7/34—Securing arch wire to bracket using lock pins
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61C—DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE
- A61C7/00—Orthodontics, i.e. obtaining or maintaining the desired position of teeth, e.g. by straightening, evening, regulating, separating, or by correcting malocclusions
- A61C7/12—Brackets; Arch wires; Combinations thereof; Accessories therefor
- A61C7/28—Securing arch wire to bracket
- A61C7/30—Securing arch wire to bracket by resilient means; Dispensers therefor
Definitions
- the present disclosure relates to the technical field of orthodontic instrument, in particular to an orthodontic appliance.
- orthodontists use orthodontic instruments to provide medical service to patients.
- Orthodontic appliances such as brackets and buccal tubes, are the main components of the orthodontic therapeutic instruments.
- the orthodontist attaches the brackets to the patient's teeth and disposes the archwire into the archwire groove of the bracket.
- the archwire applies the corrective force to the tooth through the bracket to move the tooth into the correct position.
- brackets retains the archwire in the archwire groove of each bracket with ligatures, while with movable parts, such as pins or sliders recently.
- self-ligating brackets are common in the market, but the structure of the brackets still needs to be continuously modified to improve functionality, stability and reduce manufacturing cost.
- Prior art CN107714205B and CN208017607U disclose a self-ligating orthodontic bracket.
- Most of the self-locking brackets in the market adopt a similar technical solution, that is, a recessed part is arranged on the main body to fix one end of the fixing member of the movable part in the recessed part, and the other end of the fixing member is received in the accommodating cavity on the movable part.
- the movement of the movable part is restricted by the elastic resilience of the fixing member.
- the elastic member is in direct contact with the cover, repeatedly rubbing against the cover during the opening and closing of the cover.
- the materials of the elastic member in the brackets such as memory alloy, do not have ideal wear resistance. After opening and closing the cover for multiple times, the elastic member is severely worn, which may lead to problems such as unstable locking of the closing position of the cover or the cover being too easy to be opened.
- US 2004/229184 A1 discloses an orthodontic appliance, comprising a main body and a movable part and further, a fixing structure which comprises an elastic member and a movable element which are located in one of the main body or the movable part.
- the movable element cooperates with the elastic member to fix the movable part at least in the closed position.
- the movable element comprises an indexing ring whose upper rim is crowned by a series of triangular teeth meshing with similar teeth cut in the periphery of the proximal, inner end of the post.
- a series of alternating, axially oriented short indentations and long indentations are practiced around the circular surface of the inner wall of the well. These long and short indentations are successively engaged by one or more keys on the outer periphery of the indexing ring as the ring is rotated by successive sliding movements of the post up and down.
- the present disclosure aims to provide a more durable orthodontic appliance
- the present disclosure provides a more durable orthodontic appliance.
- the invention is defined by an orthodontic appliance with the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.
- An orthodontic appliance comprising a main body and a movable part, wherein the main body has an archwire groove for accommodating an archwire, the movable part cooperates with the main body and is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the main body, the orthodontic appliance further comprises a fixing structure for fixing the movable part at least in the closed position, the fixing structure comprises an elastic member and a movable element which are located in one of the main body or the movable part, the movable element is connected with the main body through an axis, the movable element comprises at least one protruding end, which is received in another of the main body and the movable part, the movable element is rotatable about the axis and cooperates with the elastic member to fix the movable part at least in the closed position, and the movable element acquires a moving space by squeezing the elastic member.
- the elastic member is in direct contact with the cover, repeatedly rubbing against the cover during the opening and closing of the cover.
- the materials of the elastic member in brackets such as memory alloy, do not have ideal wear resistance. After opening and closing the cover for multiple times, the elastic member is severely worn, which may lead to problems such as unstable locking of the closing position of the cover or the cover being too easy to be opened.
- this type of solution simply restricts the movement of the movable part and position-limiting for self-locking by deforming the elastic shaft or the elastic body.
- the elasticity is defined by the elastic properties of the elastomer material itself. The elastic properties of the elastomer material is difficult to be adjusted.
- the restriction of opening and closing the self-locking in CN107714205B and CN208017607U is difficult to be adjusted, which is likely to result in the cover of the self-locking bracket to be unstably closed or a larger force is required to open or close the cover, which makes it inconvenient for orthodontists to operate.
- the rigid movable element is utilized in conjunction with the elastic member to restrict the movable part. It is the protruding end of the movable element that contacts and rubs against the movable part, and the rigid material has better wear resistance than that of the elastic material. Thus, the rigid material has less wear after rubbing against the movable part.
- the movable part of the orthodontic appliance may still be stably fixed at the closed position after opening and closing for multiple times.
- the elasticity of this solution may be defined by the structure of elastic member, but not simply by the elastic properties of the material itself. Thus, this solution may generate gentler elasticity.
- the magnitude of restriction force for position locking of the movable part may also be fine-tuned and adjusted in terms of the specific shape, size, thickness, etc. of the elastic member.
- one of the movable part and the main body is provided with a blocking part.
- the blocking part abuts against the protruding end and suppresses the movable part from moving relative to the main body, the movable part is thus in the closed position and locked in the closed position.
- the protruding end is in the second position, the movable part is movable relative to the main body, so as to arrive at the open position.
- the protruding end when the elastic member is not subject to any external force, the protruding end is located at the first position, and the movable element fixes the movable part in the closed position.
- the elastic member does not exert force.
- such configuration makes it convenient to assemble, such that the production efficiency is higher and the production cost is lower.
- the elastic member when there is no external force to move the movable part, the elastic member will not exert force on the movable element to displace its position, the movable element may be stably located in situ, and the movable part may also be locked in the closed position more stably.
- the elastic member is retractable or expandable and cooperates with the movable element to fix the movable part at least in the closed position.
- the elastic member may meet the requirements as long as it provide a restoring force to the movable element to restore the movable element to its original position.
- the preferred solution is to adopt a spring-type elastic member, and the elastic member exerts elasticity by retracting and expanding.
- the elasticity may be defined by the structure of the elastic member, and may not simply rely on the elastic properties of the material itself. Therefore, the solution of the disclosure may provide gentler elasticity, and the magnitude of restriction force for the position locking of the movable part may also be fine-tuned and restricted by modifying the specific shape, size, thickness, etc. of the elastic member.
- the elastic member is bendable or straightened and cooperates with the movable element to fix the movable part at least in the closed position.
- the present disclosure also seeks protection for elastic members with some shapes which provide restoring force to the movable element by bending.
- the elastic member includes at least one abutment wall that abuts against a side wall of the movable element.
- the abutment wall presses against the movable element, and when the movable element is subject to any external force, the elastic member is squeezed and deformed. After the force on the movable element is removed, the restoring force of the elastic member provides a restoring force to the movable element. During the process of restoring the elastic member to its original shape, the movable element returns to the initial position.
- the number of the abutment walls may be one or two, and when the movable element is arranged in the middle of the elastic member, the elastic member may contain two abutment walls.
- the movable element is provided with a hole into which the elastic member is inserted.
- the movable element drives the elastic member to deform.
- the restoring force of the elastic member is applied to the movable element.
- the hole is a through hole, and the elastic member passes through the through hole.
- the movable element is movable and cooperates with the elastic member to fix the movable part at least in a closed position, and the elastic member is configured to provide the movable element with a moving space and a restoring force.
- the movable element may perform movement by moving or rotating, or a combination of moving and rotating.
- the movable element is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to a labial lingual direction or a maxilla gingival direction.
- the rotation direction of the movable element may be arbitrary.
- the movable element rotates along an axis substantially parallel to the labial lingual direction or the maxilla gingival direction.
- the fixing structure includes two elastic members located on either side of the movable element, and the elastic members are configured to provide the movable element with a moving space and a restoring force.
- the elastic member may be any one of an "N" shape, an "M” shape, a “ ⁇ ” shape, a “ “ shape, a “C” shape, an “S” shape, an “L” shape, a “T” shape, a “U” shape, an "H” shape, a linear shape, and a polyline shape on a cross section substantially parallel to the labial lingual direction or the maxilla gingival direction.
- the elastic member may be retracted or bent in the labial lingual direction, or in the maxilla gingival direction, all of which can provide the movable element with a moving space and a restoring force.
- the movable element is a plate or a pin.
- the movable element may also be formed in other shapes freely, such as plate or pin, with simple structure and lower cost.
- one of the movable part and the main body is provided with an accommodating cavity on a surface facing the movable element, and the protruding end of the movable element is accommodated in the accommodating cavity.
- the reference system of the teeth it is necessary to use the reference system of the teeth to describe the orthodontic bracket, see FIG. 17 for specific illustration.
- the terminologies used herein to describe the orthodontic bracket such as labial, lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal, and gingival corresponding to the reference system of the teeth.
- embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the selected reference system and terminologies, as orthodontic brackets may be applied to on other teeth within the oral cavity and in other orientations.
- an orthodontic bracket may also be bonded to the lingual surface of the teeth for use, which also falls within the scope of the present disclosure.
- the reference system may not be directly applied to the descriptive terminology used herein.
- embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to be independent of position and orientation within the oral cavity, and the relative terms used to describe the embodiments are merely to provide clarity to the embodiments in the accompanying drawings. Likewise, the related terms such as labial, lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal and gingival in no way limit the disclosure to a particular location or orientation.
- the surface of the orthodontic bracket may be substantially divided into six surfaces.
- the surface facing the lips is the labial surface of the orthodontic bracket, and the surface facing the tongue is the lingual surface of the orthodontic bracket.
- the labial surface and lingual surface are opposite to each other.
- the direction in which the labial surface and lingual surface are formed is also called the labial lingual direction.
- the occlusal surface facing the maxillary teeth is the occlusal surface of the orthodontic bracket, which may also be called the maxillary plane and the maxillary surface.
- the surface of the gingival tissue facing the tooth attached thereto is the gingival surface of the orthodontic bracket.
- the occlusal surface and the gingival surface are opposite to each other, and the direction in which the occlusal surface and the gingival surface are formed is also called the maxilla gingival direction.
- the surface of the tooth facing the tooth midline is the mesial surface, the surface opposite to the mesial surface is called the distal surface, and the direction in which the mesial surface and the distal surface are formed is called the mesiodistal direction.
- the labial lingual direction generally refers to a bidirectional direction.
- the labial-lingual direction it refers to a unidirectional direction, that is, the direction from the labial side to the lingual side.
- the above two directions are distinguished by whether or not a short horizontal line is added between the term describing the direction.
- the axis inclination marking line refers to an inclined line set on the orthodontic bracket with the same inclination angle as the bracket axis, which is used for more precise positioning when the doctor attaches the bracket to the tooth surface.
- FIG. 1 is a front view of an orthodontic appliance of the first embodiment.
- FIG. 2 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance of the first embodiment.
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in the closed state taken along the section A-A of FIG. 1 .
- the present embodiment provides an orthodontic appliance, including a main body 100 and a movable part 200.
- the main body 100 has an archwire groove 120 for accommodating an archwire.
- the movable part 200 cooperates with the main body 100 and is movable between the open position and the closed position relative to the main body 100.
- the orthodontic appliance further includes a fixing structure for fixing the movable part 200 at least in the closed position.
- the fixing structure includes an elastic member 300 and a movable element 400 located in one of the main body 100 and the movable part 200.
- the movable part 200 is a locking slider.
- the movable part may also be other structures such as clamps.
- the elastic member 300 and the movable element 400 are provided on the main body 100, the main body 100 is provided with a recessed part 110, and the elastic member 300 and the movable element 400 are provided in the recessed part 110.
- the orthodontic appliance may be a bracket or may be a buccal tube.
- the movable element 400 includes at least one protruding end 410 accommodated in the other of the main body 100 and the movable part 200.
- the protruding end 410 is accommodated in the movable part 200.
- the movable element 400 is rotatable and cooperates with the elastic member 300 to fix the movable part 200 at least in a closed position.
- the movable element 400 obtains a moving space and a restoring force by squeezing the elastic member 300.
- the elastic member is in direct contact with the cover, repeatedly rubbing against the cover during the opening and closing of the cover.
- the materials of the elastic member in brackets such as memory alloy, do not have ideal wear resistance. After opening and closing the cover for multiple times, the elastic member is severely worn, which may lead to problems such as unstable locking of the closing position of the cover or the cover being too easy to be opened.
- this type of solution simply restricts the movement of the movable part and position-limiting for self-locking by deforming the elastic shaft or the elastic body.
- the elasticity is defined by the elastic properties of the elastomer material itself. The elastic properties of the elastomer material is difficult to be adjusted.
- the rigid movable element 400 is utilized in conjunction with the elastic member 300 to restrict the movable part 200. It is the protruding end 410 of the movable element 400 that contacts and rubs against the movable part 200, and the rigid material has better wear resistance than that of the elastic material. Thus, the rigid material has less wear after rubbing against the movable part 200. In this manner, the movable part 200 of the orthodontic appliance may still be stably fixed the movable part 200 at the closed position after opening and closing for multiple times.
- the movable element 400 is connected with the main body 100 through the axis 500.
- the movable element 400 is rotatable about the axis 500 and cooperates with the elastic member 300 to fix the movable part 200 at least in the closed position.
- the elastic member 300 is configured to provide the movable element 400 with a moving space and a restoring force.
- the movable element may perform movement by moving or rotating, or a combination of moving and rotating.
- the movable element 400 is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the maxilla gingival direction.
- the rotation direction of the movable element 400 may be arbitrary, and may also be rotated along an axis substantially parallel to the labial tongue direction.
- the movable element 400 may not be fixedly connected with the main body 100, and may be directly placed into the recessed part 110.
- the elastic member 300 is retractable or expandable and cooperates with the movable element 400 to fix the movable part 200 at least in the closed position.
- a spring-type elastic member 300 is adopted, and the elastic member 300 generates elasticity by retracting and expanding.
- the elasticity may be defined by the structure of the elastic member 300, and may not simply rely on the elastic properties of the material itself. Therefore, the solution of the disclosure may provide gentler elasticity, and the magnitude of restriction force for the position locking of the movable part 200 may also be fine-tuned and restricted by modifying the specific shape, size, thickness, etc. of the elastic member 300.
- the elastic member 300 may be any one of an "N” shape, an "M” shape, a “ ⁇ ” shape, a “ “ shape, a “C” shape, an “S” shape, an “L” shape, a “T” shape, a “U” shape, an "H” shape, a linear shape, and a polyline shape on a cross section substantially parallel to the labial lingual direction or the maxilla gingival direction.
- the cross-section of the elastic member 300 in the labial lingual direction is an "N" shape.
- the elastic member 300 may be retracted or bent in the labial lingual direction, or in the maxilla gingival direction, all of which can provide the movable element 400 with a moving space and a restoring force.
- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in the closed state taken along the section A-A of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view of the movable part when the orthodontic appliance is in the closed state.
- One of the movable part 200 and the main body 100 is provided with a blocking part 210, and the protruding end of the movable element is accommodated in the accommodating cavity.
- the movable element 400 and the elastic member 300 are provided on the main body 100, and the blocking part 210 is provided on the movable part 200.
- the movable part 200 is provided with an accommodating cavity 220 on the surface of the movable part 200 facing the movable element 400, and the blocking part 210 is provided on the side wall of the accommodating cavity 220.
- the blocking part 210 is a protruding structure. In other embodiments, the blocking part 210 may also be any other structure, and the accommodating cavity 220 may also be a through hole or other alternative structures.
- the protruding end 410 is in the first position, and the blocking part 210 abuts against the protruding end 410 and suppresses the movable part 200 from moving relative to the main body 100.
- the movable part 200 is in the closed position, and the blocking part 210 suppresses the movable part 200 from moving, that is, the movable part 200 is locked in the closed position.
- the elastic member 300 is not subject to any external force, that is, in the state of no deformation.
- the elastic member 300 does not exert any force.
- such design is convenient for assembly and makes the production efficiency higher, and the production cost is lower.
- the elastic member 300 will not exert force on the movable element 400 to displace its position, and the movable element 400 may be stably located in situ.
- the movable part 200 may also be locked in the closed position more stably.
- the elastic member 300 includes at least one abutment wall 310, abutting against the side wall of the movable element 400.
- the movable element 400 squeezes the elastic member 300 to deform.
- the restoring force of the elastic member 300 provides a restoring force for the movable element 400.
- the movable element 400 returns to the initial position.
- the number of the abutment walls 310 may be one or two or more.
- the elastic member 300 includes one abutment wall 310.
- the movable element 400 may be made in form of a plate or pin, such that the production cost is lower.
- the movable element 400 may also be made into any other shape. In this embodiment, the movable element 400 is a cylindrical pin.
- FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in an open state taken along the section A-A in FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 6 is a schematic structural view of the movable part of the orthodontic appliance in a movable state.
- the protruding end 410 in FIG. 5 to FIG. 6 is in the second position, the movable part 200 is movable relative to the main body 100, and the movable part 200 is movable to arrive at the open position.
- the side wall of the accommodating cavity 220 may suppress the protruding end 410 from sliding out, thereby preventing the movable part 200 from sliding off the main body 100.
- FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance not covered by the invention.
- FIG. 8 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance not covered by the invention.
- This example provides an orthodontic appliance whose structure is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment. The difference lies in that, the fixing structure includes two elastic members 301 and 501 located on either side of the movable element 401, the elastic members 301 and 501 are configured to provide the movable element 401 with a moving space and a restoring force.
- the two elastic members 301 and 501 have abutment walls 311 and 511, which respectively abut against either side of the movable element 401.
- the movable part 201 is in the closed position.
- the elastic members 301 and 501 are both not subject to a force, the movable element 401 is not fixedly connected with the main body 101, and the movable element 401 is removably placed in the recess part 111.
- the movable part 201 squeezes the movable element 401 and thus the elastic member 301, and then the movable element 401 rotates, thereby allowing the movable part 201 to move.
- This example provides an orthodontic appliance which is substantially the same as the orthodontic appliance in the other example, and its structural diagram is exactly the same .
- the difference lies in that, in the state shown in FIG. 7 , the movable part 201 is in the closed position. Under the circumstances, the elastic members 301 and 501 are both subject to an external force. When the movable part 201 is pushed by the force, the movable part 201 squeezes the movable element 401 and thus the elastic member 301, and then the movable element 401 performs movement, and the movement is performed in the combination of moving and rotating, thereby allowing the movable part 201 to move.
- FIG. 9 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance of another example not covered by the invention.
- This example provides an orthodontic appliance whose structure is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment. The difference lies in that the elastic member 302 has two abutment walls 312 and 322, and the abutment walls 312 and 322 respectively abut against the side walls on either side of the movable element 402.
- the cross-section of the elastic member 302 in the labial lingual direction includes two " " " shapes.
- FIG. 10 is a top view of the orthodontic appliance of another example not covered by the invention.
- FIG. 11 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance of the example.
- FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in a closed state taken along the section B-B in FIG. 10 .
- FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in a closed state taken along the section C-C in FIG. 10 .
- This example provides an orthodontic appliance.
- the front view of the orthodontic appliance is the same as the front view of the orthodontic appliance in the first embodiment.
- the orthodontic appliance includes a main body 103, a bottom plate 503 and a movable part 203.
- the bottom plate 503 is configured to be attached to the patient's teeth.
- the movable part 203 cooperates with the main body 103 and is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the main body 103.
- the orthodontic appliance further includes a fixing structure configured to fix the movable part 203 at least in a closed position.
- the fixing structure includes an elastic member 303 and a movable element 403 located in the main body 103.
- the main body 103 is provided with a recessed part 113, and the elastic member 303 and the movable element 403 are provided in the recessed part 113.
- the movable element 403 includes at least one protruding end 413, one of which is accommodated in the movable part 203.
- the movable element 403 is rotatable and cooperates with the elastic member 303 to fix the movable part 203 at least in the closed position, and the elastic member 303 is bendable and cooperates with the movable element 403 to fix the movable part 203 at least in the closed position.
- the movable element 403 is provided with a hole into which the elastic member 303 is inserted.
- the movable element 403 drives the elastic member 303 to bend and deform, or to expand.
- the restoring force of the elastic member 303 provides a restoring force for the movable element 403.
- the hole is a through hole through which the elastic member 303 passes.
- the cross-section of the elastic member 303 in the maxilla gingival direction is a polyline shape, and in other embodiments, the elastic member 303 may also be a linear shape.
- the elasticity of the polyline elastic member may be defined by the structure of the elastic member, and may not rely solely on the elastic properties of the material itself, thereby generating gentler elasticity.
- the magnitude of restriction force for position locking of the movable part 203 may also be fine-tuned and restricted by modifying the specific shape, size, thickness, etc. of the elastic member 303.
- FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in a closed state taken along the section C-C in FIG. 10 .
- FIG. 14 is a rear view of the movable part when the orthodontic appliance is in the closed state.
- a surface of the movable part 203 facing the movable element 403 is provided with an accommodating cavity 223, a side wall of the accommodating cavity 223 is provided with a blocking part 213, and the protruding end 413 of the movable element 403 is accommodated in the accommodating cavity 223.
- the protruding end 413 is in the first position.
- the blocking part 213 abuts against the protruding end 413 and suppresses the movable part 203 from moving relative to the main body 103.
- the movable part 203 is in the closed position, and the blocking part 213 suppresses the movable part 203 from moving, that is, the movable part 203 is locked in the closed position.
- the elastic member 303 is not subject to any external force, that is, in the state of no deformation. When the movable part 203 is in the closed position, the elastic member 303 does not exert any force.
- such design facilitates the assembly and makes the production efficiency higher, and the production cost is lower.
- FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in an open state taken along the section C-C in FIG. 10 .
- FIG. 16 is a rear view of the movable part when the orthodontic appliance is in the open state.
- the protruding end 413 in FIG. 15 to FIG. 16 is rotated to the second position, the movable part 203 is movable relative to the main body 103, so as to arrive at the open position.
- the side wall of the accommodating cavity 223 may suppress the protruding end 413 from sliding out, thereby preventing the movable part 203 from sliding off the main body 103.
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- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (AREA)
- Dentistry (AREA)
- Epidemiology (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Dental Tools And Instruments Or Auxiliary Dental Instruments (AREA)
Description
- The present disclosure relates to the technical field of orthodontic instrument, in particular to an orthodontic appliance.
- At present, for dental or facial problems, such as crowded teeth, buck teeth, misaligned teeth, and malocclusion, orthodontists use orthodontic instruments to provide medical service to patients. Orthodontic appliances, such as brackets and buccal tubes, are the main components of the orthodontic therapeutic instruments. In conventional orthodontic treatment, the orthodontist attaches the brackets to the patient's teeth and disposes the archwire into the archwire groove of the bracket. The archwire applies the corrective force to the tooth through the bracket to move the tooth into the correct position. Earlier brackets retains the archwire in the archwire groove of each bracket with ligatures, while with movable parts, such as pins or sliders recently. At present, self-ligating brackets are common in the market, but the structure of the brackets still needs to be continuously modified to improve functionality, stability and reduce manufacturing cost.
- Prior art
CN107714205B andCN208017607U disclose a self-ligating orthodontic bracket. Most of the self-locking brackets in the market adopt a similar technical solution, that is, a recessed part is arranged on the main body to fix one end of the fixing member of the movable part in the recessed part, and the other end of the fixing member is received in the accommodating cavity on the movable part. The movement of the movable part is restricted by the elastic resilience of the fixing member. In this solution, on the one hand, the elastic member is in direct contact with the cover, repeatedly rubbing against the cover during the opening and closing of the cover. At present, the materials of the elastic member in the brackets, such as memory alloy, do not have ideal wear resistance. After opening and closing the cover for multiple times, the elastic member is severely worn, which may lead to problems such as unstable locking of the closing position of the cover or the cover being too easy to be opened. -
US 2004/229184 A1 , discloses an orthodontic appliance, comprising a main body and a movable part and further, a fixing structure which comprises an elastic member and a movable element which are located in one of the main body or the movable part. The movable element cooperates with the elastic member to fix the movable part at least in the closed position. The movable element comprises an indexing ring whose upper rim is crowned by a series of triangular teeth meshing with similar teeth cut in the periphery of the proximal, inner end of the post. A series of alternating, axially oriented short indentations and long indentations are practiced around the circular surface of the inner wall of the well. These long and short indentations are successively engaged by one or more keys on the outer periphery of the indexing ring as the ring is rotated by successive sliding movements of the post up and down. - The present disclosure aims to provide a more durable orthodontic appliance
- In view of the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides a more durable orthodontic appliance.
- The invention is defined by an orthodontic appliance with the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.
- The technical scheme adopted by the present disclosure to solve the technical problem is:
An orthodontic appliance, comprising a main body and a movable part, wherein the main body has an archwire groove for accommodating an archwire, the movable part cooperates with the main body and is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the main body, the orthodontic appliance further comprises a fixing structure for fixing the movable part at least in the closed position, the fixing structure comprises an elastic member and a movable element which are located in one of the main body or the movable part, the movable element is connected with the main body through an axis, the movable element comprises at least one protruding end, which is received in another of the main body and the movable part, the movable element is rotatable about the axis and cooperates with the elastic member to fix the movable part at least in the closed position, and the movable element acquires a moving space by squeezing the elastic member. - In prior art
CN107714205B , the elastic member is in direct contact with the cover, repeatedly rubbing against the cover during the opening and closing of the cover. At present, the materials of the elastic member in brackets, such as memory alloy, do not have ideal wear resistance. After opening and closing the cover for multiple times, the elastic member is severely worn, which may lead to problems such as unstable locking of the closing position of the cover or the cover being too easy to be opened. On the other hand, this type of solution simply restricts the movement of the movable part and position-limiting for self-locking by deforming the elastic shaft or the elastic body. The elasticity is defined by the elastic properties of the elastomer material itself. The elastic properties of the elastomer material is difficult to be adjusted. Therefore, the restriction of opening and closing the self-locking inCN107714205B andCN208017607U is difficult to be adjusted, which is likely to result in the cover of the self-locking bracket to be unstably closed or a larger force is required to open or close the cover, which makes it inconvenient for orthodontists to operate. In this solution, the rigid movable element is utilized in conjunction with the elastic member to restrict the movable part. It is the protruding end of the movable element that contacts and rubs against the movable part, and the rigid material has better wear resistance than that of the elastic material. Thus, the rigid material has less wear after rubbing against the movable part. In this manner, the movable part of the orthodontic appliance may still be stably fixed at the closed position after opening and closing for multiple times. Moreover, the elasticity of this solution may be defined by the structure of elastic member, but not simply by the elastic properties of the material itself. Thus, this solution may generate gentler elasticity. Meanwhile, the magnitude of restriction force for position locking of the movable part may also be fine-tuned and adjusted in terms of the specific shape, size, thickness, etc. of the elastic member. - In some specific embodiments, one of the movable part and the main body is provided with a blocking part. When the protruding end is in the first position, the blocking part abuts against the protruding end and suppresses the movable part from moving relative to the main body, the movable part is thus in the closed position and locked in the closed position. When the protruding end is in the second position, the movable part is movable relative to the main body, so as to arrive at the open position.
- In some preferred embodiments, when the elastic member is not subject to any external force, the protruding end is located at the first position, and the movable element fixes the movable part in the closed position. When the movable part is in the closed position, the elastic member does not exert force. On the one hand, such configuration makes it convenient to assemble, such that the production efficiency is higher and the production cost is lower. On the other hand, when there is no external force to move the movable part, the elastic member will not exert force on the movable element to displace its position, the movable element may be stably located in situ, and the movable part may also be locked in the closed position more stably.
- In some specific embodiments, the elastic member is retractable or expandable and cooperates with the movable element to fix the movable part at least in the closed position. The elastic member may meet the requirements as long as it provide a restoring force to the movable element to restore the movable element to its original position. The preferred solution is to adopt a spring-type elastic member, and the elastic member exerts elasticity by retracting and expanding. The elasticity may be defined by the structure of the elastic member, and may not simply rely on the elastic properties of the material itself. Therefore, the solution of the disclosure may provide gentler elasticity, and the magnitude of restriction force for the position locking of the movable part may also be fine-tuned and restricted by modifying the specific shape, size, thickness, etc. of the elastic member.
- In other specific embodiments, the elastic member is bendable or straightened and cooperates with the movable element to fix the movable part at least in the closed position. The present disclosure also seeks protection for elastic members with some shapes which provide restoring force to the movable element by bending.
- In some specific embodiments, the elastic member includes at least one abutment wall that abuts against a side wall of the movable element. The abutment wall presses against the movable element, and when the movable element is subject to any external force, the elastic member is squeezed and deformed. After the force on the movable element is removed, the restoring force of the elastic member provides a restoring force to the movable element. During the process of restoring the elastic member to its original shape, the movable element returns to the initial position. The number of the abutment walls may be one or two, and when the movable element is arranged in the middle of the elastic member, the elastic member may contain two abutment walls.
- In other specific embodiments, the movable element is provided with a hole into which the elastic member is inserted. When the movable element is subject to any external force, the movable element drives the elastic member to deform. After removing the external force applied to the movable element, the restoring force of the elastic member is applied to the movable element. During the process of restoring the elastic member to its original shape, the movable element is restored to its initial position. In a further preferred embodiment, the hole is a through hole, and the elastic member passes through the through hole.
- In some preferred embodiments, the movable element is movable and cooperates with the elastic member to fix the movable part at least in a closed position, and the elastic member is configured to provide the movable element with a moving space and a restoring force. The movable element may perform movement by moving or rotating, or a combination of moving and rotating.
- According to the invention, the movable element is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to a labial lingual direction or a maxilla gingival direction. The rotation direction of the movable element may be arbitrary. In a preferred embodiment, the movable element rotates along an axis substantially parallel to the labial lingual direction or the maxilla gingival direction.
- In another specific embodiments, the fixing structure includes two elastic members located on either side of the movable element, and the elastic members are configured to provide the movable element with a moving space and a restoring force.
- In some specific embodiments, the elastic member may be any one of an "N" shape, an "M" shape, a "π" shape, a "" shape, a "C" shape, an "S" shape, an "L" shape, a "T" shape, a "U" shape, an "H" shape, a linear shape, and a polyline shape on a cross section substantially parallel to the labial lingual direction or the maxilla gingival direction. As long as the elastic member can be retracted and bent, it may be retracted or bent in the labial lingual direction, or in the maxilla gingival direction, all of which can provide the movable element with a moving space and a restoring force.
- In some specific embodiments, the movable element is a plate or a pin. The movable element may also be formed in other shapes freely, such as plate or pin, with simple structure and lower cost.
- In some specific embodiments, one of the movable part and the main body is provided with an accommodating cavity on a surface facing the movable element, and the protruding end of the movable element is accommodated in the accommodating cavity.
- The present disclosure will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
-
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FIG. 1 is a front view of an orthodontic appliance of the first embodiment. -
FIG. 2 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance of the first embodiment. -
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in the closed position taken along the section A-A ofFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view of the movable part when the orthodontic appliance is in the closed position. -
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in an open position taken along the section A-A inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 6 is a schematic structural view of the movable part when the orthodontic appliance is in an open position. -
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance not covered by the invention. -
FIG. 8 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance not covered by the invention. -
FIG. 9 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance not covered by the invention. -
FIG. 10 is a top view of the orthodontic appliance not covered by the invention. -
FIG. 11 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance not covered by the invention. -
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in a closed position taken along the section B-B inFIG. 10 . -
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in a closed position taken along the section C-C inFIG. 10 . -
FIG. 14 is a rear view of the movable part when the orthodontic appliance is in the closed position. -
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in an open position taken along the section C-C inFIG. 10 . -
FIG. 16 is a rear view of the movable part when the orthodontic appliance is in the open position. -
FIG. 17 is a schematic view of a tooth reference system. - In the following description of structure, it is necessary to use the reference system of the teeth to describe the orthodontic bracket, see
FIG. 17 for specific illustration. The terminologies used herein to describe the orthodontic bracket such as labial, lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal, and gingival corresponding to the reference system of the teeth. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the selected reference system and terminologies, as orthodontic brackets may be applied to on other teeth within the oral cavity and in other orientations. For example, an orthodontic bracket may also be bonded to the lingual surface of the teeth for use, which also falls within the scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that when there is a change in the reference system, the reference system may not be directly applied to the descriptive terminology used herein. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are intended to be independent of position and orientation within the oral cavity, and the relative terms used to describe the embodiments are merely to provide clarity to the embodiments in the accompanying drawings. Likewise, the related terms such as labial, lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal and gingival in no way limit the disclosure to a particular location or orientation. - It should be noted that the related terms, such as labial side, lingual side, mesial, distal, maxillary plane and gingiva, are terminologies used for orthodontic treatment. Hereinafter the mandibular teeth are taken as an example. The surface of the orthodontic bracket may be substantially divided into six surfaces. The surface facing the lips is the labial surface of the orthodontic bracket, and the surface facing the tongue is the lingual surface of the orthodontic bracket. The labial surface and lingual surface are opposite to each other. The direction in which the labial surface and lingual surface are formed is also called the labial lingual direction. The occlusal surface facing the maxillary teeth is the occlusal surface of the orthodontic bracket, which may also be called the maxillary plane and the maxillary surface. The surface of the gingival tissue facing the tooth attached thereto is the gingival surface of the orthodontic bracket. The occlusal surface and the gingival surface are opposite to each other, and the direction in which the occlusal surface and the gingival surface are formed is also called the maxilla gingival direction. The surface of the tooth facing the tooth midline is the mesial surface, the surface opposite to the mesial surface is called the distal surface, and the direction in which the mesial surface and the distal surface are formed is called the mesiodistal direction.
- In the description of the direction, for example, the labial lingual direction generally refers to a bidirectional direction. As to the labial-lingual direction, it refers to a unidirectional direction, that is, the direction from the labial side to the lingual side. The above two directions are distinguished by whether or not a short horizontal line is added between the term describing the direction.
- The axis inclination marking line refers to an inclined line set on the orthodontic bracket with the same inclination angle as the bracket axis, which is used for more precise positioning when the doctor attaches the bracket to the tooth surface.
- Furthermore, the components and spaces described below are also described with reference to the reference system of the mandibular teeth, such as the gingival direction and the maxillary surface of a certain component, which should not be construed as a limitation to the component and space.
- Referring to
FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 ,FIG. 1 is a front view of an orthodontic appliance of the first embodiment.FIG. 2 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance of the first embodiment.FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in the closed state taken along the section A-A ofFIG. 1 . The present embodiment provides an orthodontic appliance, including amain body 100 and amovable part 200. Themain body 100 has anarchwire groove 120 for accommodating an archwire. Themovable part 200 cooperates with themain body 100 and is movable between the open position and the closed position relative to themain body 100. The orthodontic appliance further includes a fixing structure for fixing themovable part 200 at least in the closed position. The fixing structure includes anelastic member 300 and amovable element 400 located in one of themain body 100 and themovable part 200. In this embodiment, themovable part 200 is a locking slider. In other embodiments, the movable part may also be other structures such as clamps. Theelastic member 300 and themovable element 400 are provided on themain body 100, themain body 100 is provided with a recessedpart 110, and theelastic member 300 and themovable element 400 are provided in the recessedpart 110. The orthodontic appliance may be a bracket or may be a buccal tube. Themovable element 400 includes at least oneprotruding end 410 accommodated in the other of themain body 100 and themovable part 200. In this embodiment, theprotruding end 410 is accommodated in themovable part 200. Themovable element 400 is rotatable and cooperates with theelastic member 300 to fix themovable part 200 at least in a closed position. Themovable element 400 obtains a moving space and a restoring force by squeezing theelastic member 300. - In prior art
CN107714205B , the elastic member is in direct contact with the cover, repeatedly rubbing against the cover during the opening and closing of the cover. At present, the materials of the elastic member in brackets, such as memory alloy, do not have ideal wear resistance. After opening and closing the cover for multiple times, the elastic member is severely worn, which may lead to problems such as unstable locking of the closing position of the cover or the cover being too easy to be opened. On the other hand, this type of solution simply restricts the movement of the movable part and position-limiting for self-locking by deforming the elastic shaft or the elastic body. The elasticity is defined by the elastic properties of the elastomer material itself. The elastic properties of the elastomer material is difficult to be adjusted. Therefore, the restriction of opening and closing the self-locking inCN107714205B andCN208017607U is difficult to be adjusted, which is likely to result in the cover of the self-locking bracket to be unstably closed or a larger force is required to open or close the cover, which makes it inconvenient for orthodontists to operate. In this solution, the rigidmovable element 400 is utilized in conjunction with theelastic member 300 to restrict themovable part 200. It is theprotruding end 410 of themovable element 400 that contacts and rubs against themovable part 200, and the rigid material has better wear resistance than that of the elastic material. Thus, the rigid material has less wear after rubbing against themovable part 200. In this manner, themovable part 200 of the orthodontic appliance may still be stably fixed themovable part 200 at the closed position after opening and closing for multiple times. - Referring to
FIG. 3 to FIG. 6 , themovable element 400 is connected with themain body 100 through theaxis 500. Themovable element 400 is rotatable about theaxis 500 and cooperates with theelastic member 300 to fix themovable part 200 at least in the closed position. Theelastic member 300 is configured to provide themovable element 400 with a moving space and a restoring force. The movable element may perform movement by moving or rotating, or a combination of moving and rotating. Specifically, themovable element 400 is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the maxilla gingival direction. The rotation direction of themovable element 400 may be arbitrary, and may also be rotated along an axis substantially parallel to the labial tongue direction. In other embodiments, themovable element 400 may not be fixedly connected with themain body 100, and may be directly placed into the recessedpart 110. - In the present embodiment, the
elastic member 300 is retractable or expandable and cooperates with themovable element 400 to fix themovable part 200 at least in the closed position. A spring-typeelastic member 300 is adopted, and theelastic member 300 generates elasticity by retracting and expanding. The elasticity may be defined by the structure of theelastic member 300, and may not simply rely on the elastic properties of the material itself. Therefore, the solution of the disclosure may provide gentler elasticity, and the magnitude of restriction force for the position locking of themovable part 200 may also be fine-tuned and restricted by modifying the specific shape, size, thickness, etc. of theelastic member 300. Theelastic member 300 may be any one of an "N" shape, an "M" shape, a "π" shape, a "" shape, a "C" shape, an "S" shape, an "L" shape, a "T" shape, a "U" shape, an "H" shape, a linear shape, and a polyline shape on a cross section substantially parallel to the labial lingual direction or the maxilla gingival direction. In this embodiment, the cross-section of theelastic member 300 in the labial lingual direction is an "N" shape. As long as theelastic member 300 can be retracted and bent, it may be retracted or bent in the labial lingual direction, or in the maxilla gingival direction, all of which can provide themovable element 400 with a moving space and a restoring force. - Referring to
FIG. 3 to FIG. 4, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in the closed state taken along the section A-A ofFIG. 1 .FIG. 4 is a schematic structural view of the movable part when the orthodontic appliance is in the closed state. One of themovable part 200 and themain body 100 is provided with a blockingpart 210, and the protruding end of the movable element is accommodated in the accommodating cavity. In this embodiment, themovable element 400 and theelastic member 300 are provided on themain body 100, and the blockingpart 210 is provided on themovable part 200. In this embodiment, themovable part 200 is provided with anaccommodating cavity 220 on the surface of themovable part 200 facing themovable element 400, and the blockingpart 210 is provided on the side wall of theaccommodating cavity 220. The blockingpart 210 is a protruding structure. In other embodiments, the blockingpart 210 may also be any other structure, and theaccommodating cavity 220 may also be a through hole or other alternative structures. InFIG. 3 to FIG. 4 , theprotruding end 410 is in the first position, and the blockingpart 210 abuts against theprotruding end 410 and suppresses themovable part 200 from moving relative to themain body 100. Under the circumstances, themovable part 200 is in the closed position, and the blockingpart 210 suppresses themovable part 200 from moving, that is, themovable part 200 is locked in the closed position. Under the circumstances, theelastic member 300 is not subject to any external force, that is, in the state of no deformation. When themovable part 200 is in the closed position, theelastic member 300 does not exert any force. On the one hand, such design is convenient for assembly and makes the production efficiency higher, and the production cost is lower. On the other hand, when there is no external force to move themovable part 200, theelastic member 300 will not exert force on themovable element 400 to displace its position, and themovable element 400 may be stably located in situ. Themovable part 200 may also be locked in the closed position more stably. - The
elastic member 300 includes at least oneabutment wall 310, abutting against the side wall of themovable element 400. When themovable element 400 is subject to a force to move or rotate, themovable element 400 squeezes theelastic member 300 to deform. After the force to themovable element 400 is removed, the restoring force of theelastic member 300 provides a restoring force for themovable element 400. During the process of restoring theelastic member 300 to the original shape, themovable element 400 returns to the initial position. The number of theabutment walls 310 may be one or two or more. In this embodiment, theelastic member 300 includes oneabutment wall 310. - The simpler the structure of a component, the lower the production cost. The
movable element 400 may be made in form of a plate or pin, such that the production cost is lower. Themovable element 400 may also be made into any other shape. In this embodiment, themovable element 400 is a cylindrical pin. - Referring to
FIG. 5 to FIG. 6, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in an open state taken along the section A-A inFIG. 1 .FIG. 6 is a schematic structural view of the movable part of the orthodontic appliance in a movable state. Theprotruding end 410 inFIG. 5 to FIG. 6 is in the second position, themovable part 200 is movable relative to themain body 100, and themovable part 200 is movable to arrive at the open position. When themovable part 200 is moved to the open position, the side wall of theaccommodating cavity 220 may suppress theprotruding end 410 from sliding out, thereby preventing themovable part 200 from sliding off themain body 100. - Referring to
FIG. 7 to FIG. 8 ,FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance not covered by the invention.FIG. 8 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance not covered by the invention. This example provides an orthodontic appliance whose structure is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment. The difference lies in that, the fixing structure includes twoelastic members movable element 401, theelastic members movable element 401 with a moving space and a restoring force. The twoelastic members walls movable element 401. InFIG. 7 , themovable part 201 is in the closed position. Under the circumstances, theelastic members movable element 401 is not fixedly connected with themain body 101, and themovable element 401 is removably placed in therecess part 111. When themovable part 201 is pushed by a force, themovable part 201 squeezes themovable element 401 and thus theelastic member 301, and then themovable element 401 rotates, thereby allowing themovable part 201 to move. - This example provides an orthodontic appliance which is substantially the same as the orthodontic appliance in the other example, and its structural diagram is exactly the same . The difference lies in that, in the state shown in
FIG. 7 , themovable part 201 is in the closed position. Under the circumstances, theelastic members movable part 201 is pushed by the force, themovable part 201 squeezes themovable element 401 and thus theelastic member 301, and then themovable element 401 performs movement, and the movement is performed in the combination of moving and rotating, thereby allowing themovable part 201 to move. - Referring to
FIG. 9, FIG. 9 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance of another example not covered by the invention. This example provides an orthodontic appliance whose structure is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment. The difference lies in that theelastic member 302 has twoabutment walls abutment walls movable element 402. The cross-section of theelastic member 302 in the labial lingual direction includes two "" shapes. - Referring to
FIG. 10 to FIG. 13 ,FIG. 10 is a top view of the orthodontic appliance of another example not covered by the invention.FIG. 11 is an exploded structural view of the orthodontic appliance of the example.FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in a closed state taken along the section B-B inFIG. 10 .FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in a closed state taken along the section C-C inFIG. 10 . This example provides an orthodontic appliance. The front view of the orthodontic appliance is the same as the front view of the orthodontic appliance in the first embodiment. The orthodontic appliance includes amain body 103, abottom plate 503 and amovable part 203. Thebottom plate 503 is configured to be attached to the patient's teeth. Themovable part 203 cooperates with themain body 103 and is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to themain body 103. The orthodontic appliance further includes a fixing structure configured to fix themovable part 203 at least in a closed position. The fixing structure includes anelastic member 303 and amovable element 403 located in themain body 103. Themain body 103 is provided with a recessedpart 113, and theelastic member 303 and themovable element 403 are provided in the recessedpart 113. Themovable element 403 includes at least oneprotruding end 413, one of which is accommodated in themovable part 203. Themovable element 403 is rotatable and cooperates with theelastic member 303 to fix themovable part 203 at least in the closed position, and theelastic member 303 is bendable and cooperates with themovable element 403 to fix themovable part 203 at least in the closed position. - The
movable element 403 is provided with a hole into which theelastic member 303 is inserted. When themovable element 403 is subject to any external force to move or rotate, themovable element 403 drives theelastic member 303 to bend and deform, or to expand. After the force on themovable element 403 is removed, the restoring force of theelastic member 303 provides a restoring force for themovable element 403. During the process of restoring theelastic member 303 to its original shape, themovable element 403 returns to the initial position. In this example the hole is a through hole through which theelastic member 303 passes. The cross-section of theelastic member 303 in the maxilla gingival direction is a polyline shape, and in other embodiments, theelastic member 303 may also be a linear shape. Compared with the linear elastic member, the elasticity of the polyline elastic member may be defined by the structure of the elastic member, and may not rely solely on the elastic properties of the material itself, thereby generating gentler elasticity. Moreover, the magnitude of restriction force for position locking of themovable part 203 may also be fine-tuned and restricted by modifying the specific shape, size, thickness, etc. of theelastic member 303. - Referring to
FIG. 13 to FIG. 14 ,FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in a closed state taken along the section C-C inFIG. 10 .FIG. 14 is a rear view of the movable part when the orthodontic appliance is in the closed state. A surface of themovable part 203 facing themovable element 403 is provided with anaccommodating cavity 223, a side wall of theaccommodating cavity 223 is provided with a blockingpart 213, and theprotruding end 413 of themovable element 403 is accommodated in theaccommodating cavity 223. InFIG. 13 to FIG. 14 , theprotruding end 413 is in the first position. Under the circumstances, the blockingpart 213 abuts against theprotruding end 413 and suppresses themovable part 203 from moving relative to themain body 103. Under the circumstances, themovable part 203 is in the closed position, and the blockingpart 213 suppresses themovable part 203 from moving, that is, themovable part 203 is locked in the closed position. Under the circumstances, theelastic member 303 is not subject to any external force, that is, in the state of no deformation. When themovable part 203 is in the closed position, theelastic member 303 does not exert any force. On the one hand, such design facilitates the assembly and makes the production efficiency higher, and the production cost is lower. On the other hand, when there is no external force to move themovable part 203, theelastic member 303 will not exert force on themovable element 403 to displace its position, and themovable element 403 may be stably located in this position. Themovable part 203 may also be locked in the closed position more stably. The simpler the structure of a component, the lower the production cost. In this example, themovable element 400 is a square pin, and the production cost is low. Referring toFIG. 15 to FIG. 16 ,FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic appliance in an open state taken along the section C-C inFIG. 10 .FIG. 16 is a rear view of the movable part when the orthodontic appliance is in the open state. Theprotruding end 413 inFIG. 15 to FIG. 16 is rotated to the second position, themovable part 203 is movable relative to themain body 103, so as to arrive at the open position. When themovable part 203 is moved to the open position, the side wall of theaccommodating cavity 223 may suppress theprotruding end 413 from sliding out, thereby preventing themovable part 203 from sliding off themain body 103.
Claims (12)
- An orthodontic appliance, comprising a main body (100) and a movable part (200), wherein the main body (100) has an archwire groove (120) for accommodating an archwire, the movable part (200) cooperates with the main body (100) and is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the main body (100), the orthodontic appliance further comprises a fixing structure for fixing the movable part (200) at least in the closed position, the fixing structure comprises an elastic member (300) and a movable element (400) which are located in one of the main body (100) or the movable part (200), the movable element (400) is connected with the main body (100) through an axis (500), the movable element (400) comprises at least one protruding end, which is received in another of the main body (100) and the movable part (200), the movable element (400) is rotatable about the axis (500) and cooperates with the elastic member (300) to fix the movable part (200) at least in the closed position, and the movable element (400) acquires a moving space by squeezing the elastic member (300).
- The orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, wherein one of the movable part (200) and the main body (100) is provided with a blocking part, when the protruding end is in a first position, the blocking part abuts against the protruding end and suppresses the movable part (200) from moving relative to the main body (100), when the protruding end is in a second position, the movable part (200) is movable relative to the main body (100).
- The orthodontic appliance according to claim 2, wherein when the elastic member (300) is not subject to any external force, the protruding end is located at the first position, and the movable element (400) fixes the movable part (200) in the closed position.
- The orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member (300) is retractable or expandable and cooperates with the movable element (400) to fix the movable part (200) at least in the closed position.
- The orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member (300) is bendable or straightened and cooperates with the movable element (400) to fix the movable part (200) at least in the closed position.
- The orthodontic appliance according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the elastic member (300) comprises at least one abutment wall that abuts against a side wall of the movable element (400).
- The orthodontic appliance according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the movable element (400) is provided with a hole into which the elastic member (300) is inserted.
- The orthodontic appliance according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the movable element (400) is rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to a labial lingual direction or a maxilla gingival direction.
- The orthodontic appliance according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the fixing structure comprises the two elastic members (300) located on both sides of the movable element (400), and the elastic members (300) are configured to provide the movable element (400) with a moving space and a restoring force.
- The orthodontic appliance according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the elastic member (300) is any one of an "N" shape, an "M" shape, a " π " shape, a "" shape, a "C" shape, an "S" shape, an "L" shape, a "T" shape, a "U" shape, an "H" shape, a linear shape, and a polyline shape on a cross section substantially parallel to a labial lingual direction or a maxilla gingival direction.
- The orthodontic appliance according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the movable element (400) is a plate or a pin, and the movable part (200) is a locking slider.
- The orthodontic appliance according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the one of the movable part (200) and the main body (100) is provided with an accommodating cavity on a surface facing the movable element (400), and the protruding end of the movable element (400) is accommodated in the accommodating cavity.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
CN202010151547.7A CN113349961A (en) | 2020-03-06 | 2020-03-06 | Orthodontic appliance |
PCT/CN2021/079401 WO2021175324A1 (en) | 2020-03-06 | 2021-03-05 | Orthodontic implement |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP4094718A1 EP4094718A1 (en) | 2022-11-30 |
EP4094718A4 EP4094718A4 (en) | 2023-07-12 |
EP4094718B1 true EP4094718B1 (en) | 2024-05-08 |
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Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP21764113.3A Active EP4094718B1 (en) | 2020-03-06 | 2021-03-05 | Orthodontic implement |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US20230067670A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP4094718B1 (en) |
CN (1) | CN113349961A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2021175324A1 (en) |
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---|---|---|---|---|
US6193508B1 (en) * | 1999-03-25 | 2001-02-27 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Self-ligating orthodontic bracket with enhanced rotation control |
US6302688B1 (en) * | 1999-09-27 | 2001-10-16 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Orthodontic appliance with self-releasing latch |
US6866505B2 (en) * | 2003-05-14 | 2005-03-15 | Self-engaging orthodontic bracket | |
DE102008060820A1 (en) * | 2008-12-05 | 2010-06-10 | Bernhard Förster Gmbh | Self-ligating bracket for orthodontics |
TWM436311U (en) * | 2011-11-15 | 2012-08-21 | First Dome Corp | Opening/closing guiding structure of long stroke sliding cover |
WO2014018095A1 (en) * | 2012-07-23 | 2014-01-30 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Self-ligating orthodontic bracket |
US9089386B2 (en) * | 2012-11-16 | 2015-07-28 | World Class Technology Corporation | Self-ligating bracket with sliding cover |
CN203234855U (en) * | 2013-05-06 | 2013-10-16 | 徐含寒 | Self-locking supporting slot |
CN117695035A (en) * | 2016-04-18 | 2024-03-15 | 斯威夫特健康***有限公司 | Orthodontic appliance with non-slip ligating archwire |
US11553991B2 (en) * | 2016-06-30 | 2023-01-17 | 3M Innovative Properties Company | Self-ligating orthodontic bracket |
CN208017607U (en) | 2017-04-28 | 2018-10-30 | 吉利 | Self-ligating orthodontic bracket |
CN107476660A (en) * | 2017-08-08 | 2017-12-15 | 马光华 | A kind of Fingerprint Lock cover sliding device and processing technology |
CN107714205B (en) | 2017-11-10 | 2019-08-30 | 广州欧欧医疗科技有限责任公司 | The self-locking method of bracket and bracket |
CN209004251U (en) * | 2018-08-06 | 2019-06-21 | 浙江一火科技股份有限公司 | A kind of bead-moving type locking bracket |
CN209122498U (en) * | 2018-10-22 | 2019-07-19 | 杭州奥索医疗器械有限公司 | A kind of orthodontic bracket |
CN209884378U (en) * | 2018-12-15 | 2020-01-03 | 杭州星辰三比齿科器材有限公司 | Self-ligating bracket |
CN210019724U (en) * | 2019-03-25 | 2020-02-07 | 浙江日盛医疗科技股份有限公司 | Self-locking slip cover bracket |
CN210749582U (en) * | 2019-08-14 | 2020-06-16 | 杭州富阳华文医疗器械有限公司 | Self-ligating bracket |
CN212547219U (en) * | 2020-03-06 | 2021-02-19 | 广州欧欧医疗科技有限责任公司 | Orthodontic appliance |
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2020
- 2020-03-06 CN CN202010151547.7A patent/CN113349961A/en active Pending
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2021
- 2021-03-05 EP EP21764113.3A patent/EP4094718B1/en active Active
- 2021-03-05 US US17/797,437 patent/US20230067670A1/en active Pending
- 2021-03-05 WO PCT/CN2021/079401 patent/WO2021175324A1/en unknown
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US20230067670A1 (en) | 2023-03-02 |
WO2021175324A1 (en) | 2021-09-10 |
EP4094718A1 (en) | 2022-11-30 |
CN113349961A (en) | 2021-09-07 |
EP4094718A4 (en) | 2023-07-12 |
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